I can't begin to tell you how excited I was when I saw the message from Kerry telling me I was the spotlight member this month.

When the pool at East Providence High School broke for the last and final time, I was afraid I had lost one of the main communities in my life. I became a swimmer before I was tall enough to stand up in the shallow end of the pool. Swimming and competing for the Masters was just another step in that journey and one that provided me with a wonderful group of people who pushed me to train hard and provided access to a great social circle. With the pool breaking, many friendly faces had stopped coming to practices, if practices happened at all.

I knew that I needed to find something else for my fitness routine. I was nervous at first when I joined 212. It has been pointed out to me that I really didn't say all that much the first few months. But since joining 212 almost four years ago, I have discovered a new group of equally wonderful people who have become such an important community to me. And this time, without all the chlorine! Like the Masters, 212 is made up of a wealth of people who have always made me feel welcomed. I love that feeling of success after every challenging small group and class. Having cool people to push you and laugh with makes it all the better.

More recently, I have been very grateful for all the support as I worked to stay fit and healthy through my pregnancy last year. I was able to continue a great workout routine knowing that modifications were available for me and I was in the gym the week before I had Charlotte (I actually had a small group scheduled for the 5th but had to cancel since I had Charlotte in the wee hours of that morning). As I strive to get back into the swing of things post-pregnancy, everyone has helped me reach my goals much faster than I ever thought possible! Within a few months of returning, I got back down to my pre-pregnancy weight and feel as strong as ever. I have more energy to keep up with being a new parent who has returned to work. It means a lot to me that Eric and I can model a healthy and fit lifestyle for our daughter. I cannot be more thankful to Alicia, especially, as well as the other trainers at 212 and everyone else who I worked out with! You guys rock!